Explosive shell



A. M. CRAIG.

I EXPLOSIVE SHELL.

APPLICATION FILED wmmm. 1917. RENEWED MAR. 3, I920.

wwmw. v Emma 00:. 12, 192% UNITED stares Parent ors cn ALVIN M. CRAIG, on NEW AVEN, CONNECTICUT; AssIGNon or ONE-HALF TO MARCUS STINE, on NEW YonK, N. Y.

EXPLOSIVE SHELL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

Application filed March 10, 1917, Serial No. 153,836. Renewed March 3, 1920. Serial No. 363,085.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ALVIN M. CRAIG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New Haven, county of New Haven, and Stateof Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Explosive Shells, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in explosive shells of the shrapnel order. The object of my invention is to produce an unusually simple and efficient shell which will not only be very deadly to the enemy in use,

but which unlike the ordinary shrapnel shell, carries long lengths of metal tape preferably of spring material. In carrying out this idea I fill the barrel or body of the shell with metal tape, preferably of thin spring steel in the form of coil springs, and one or more of these coils can be used. .The coil springs are tightly com pressed, and the tension of the springs. is such that when liberated from the shell they will fly open, and irrespective of the burst ing charge, will spread themselves over a considerable surrounding space. By using thin sheet steel for the springs, each can be made of very great length so that when opened up by their own tension and by the further fact of being hurled from the shell. they spread themselves to a great extent, and thus naturally have a very deadly effect on a body of exposed troops. A further advantage of this construction is that with the rapid-fire guns now used, the shells can be aimed not only at a body of troops, but can be dropped in great quantities so as to surround a troop body with great masses of metal tape tangled up in great confusion so that the effect is to actually surround and hem in a body of troops, thus leaving them at the mercy of the explosives, so that they mustsurrender or be annihilated. This construction which I disclose is also particularly effective against submarines. When fired at a submarine, the shells can be timed so as to explode in the immediate vicinity of the submarine, and even if the vessel is not hit, the water surrounding it will be filled with metal tape, and the propeller will be almost certain to become entangled in some of this tape so as to stop it and disable the vessel. This effect is accentuated by the suction actionof the propeller as the vessel passes through the tape which will be strungthrough the water, and to make the tape still more effective for this purpose,

the spring tape can be made of magnetic I material, or magnetized, and thus the attraction of the iron hull of the vessel for the tape will cause the latter to adhere to the hull and be scraped off by the water as a the vessel moves through it, thus bringing it into certain connection with the propeller. The magnetized tape also has a tendency to attach itself to any metallic objects in connection with a body of troops, fortifications, or the like, so as to render the entanglement of the troops more certain, and aside from its entangling'qualities, it will be seen that the knife-like springs fly through the air, and covering a great deal of space, will be tremendously efl ective against the'troops.

I wish it distinctly understood that my invention is not limited to any. particular form of shell, the only thing essential being that the shell be hollow to contain the tape, and it can be fired by a time fuse so as to discharge at the desired point, or by concussion if preferred, without affecting the invention. I have shown the invention appliedto a well-known form of shell.

Referenceis to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar reference characte rs indicate corresponding parts in all the views- I .1

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a shell showing my improvements, and- I Fig. 21s a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The hollow shell body 10 may as stated be of any approved type, although it is better that'the bore of the shell be substantially straight sidedv so that the springs hereinafter referred to can be readily inserted. The shell has a removable head 11 which can be fitted with any sort of fuse desired, and in the drawing I have shown a fuse tube 12 running from the head longitudinally through the center of the shell to the powder or explosive chamber 14. A plate 15 is seated in the butt end of the shell just over the explosive chamber, and upon this is placed'a spring tape 16. This plate 15 acts as an abutment or wad so that when the charge in the chamber 14 is exploded, the abutment plate 15 and the spring or springs above it will be expelled from the end of the shell, and the spring tape will then open and spread itself as described. This tape is preferably made of spring steel, very thin like a clock spring, and is tightly coiled. The tension of the spring should be such as to naturally cause it to fly open, but it is compressed to the utmost, and then slipped into the shell upon the plate 15, a hole being left in the center of the coil so that it may slide on the tube 12. On the spring 16 is placed a separate plate or diaphragm 17, and another spring 16 is then inserted. In the drawings I have shown three springs 16 separated as described, but obviously the shell may be provided with one coil of tape or with a great multiplicity of coils as desired.

I have shown at the upper or pointed end of the shell a plate 18 to hold the outer spring 16 in place, but the springs can be confined in any manner desired without affecting the principle of the invention. They are preferably magnetized as already stated, and can also be made to best advantage from spring steel.

The fuse is applied as usual, or by any approved means, so that the charge will eventually explode, and when it does the tape will be expelled as already described.

While I have shown the tape in its preferred form of a thin coil spring, still it will be understood that this flat section of the spring is not absolutely necessary, although it is much to be preferred, but the invention is not limited to any particular shape of the tape.

It will be noticed, however, that the springs are arranged in separate coils as distinguished from a helix. This is important because I can load into a shell a charge of separated springs, and when they are expelled from the shell they fly open separately and cover a great space. As stated, the flat form is preferred because of its cutting effect, its large surface, and the fact that when used in the water it will sink less readily and so be more apt to entangle a propeller.

I claim 1. As an improved article of manufacture a shell containing a charge of metal tape adapted to spread when discharged from the shell.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a shell containing a charge of magnetic metal tape.

3. A shell containing a charge of metal tape in the form of a coil spring.

4. A shell containing *a charge of'fiat coiled metal tape, and means for ejecting the tape from the shell.

5. A shell containing a charge of flat coiled metal tape of magnetized material.

6. A shell containing as a charge a series of fiat coiled metallic tapes.

7. A shell containing as a charge a series of coiled metal tapes, the coils being separated from each other.

8. A shell having a central fuse tube, and a charge of coiled metal tape surrounding the fuse tube.

9. A shell of the kind described containing acharge of coiled metal tape, and an abutment plate behind the tape.

10. The combination with the shell body, of a charge consisting of a series of coiled metallic tapes therein, an abutment plate behind the inner coil, and separating diaphragms between the several coils.

11. A shell having an explosive chamber and a charge of metal tape in front of the explosive chamber, the tape being under spring tension and adapted to fly open when expelled from the shell.

W. J. SMITH, W. B. HUTCHINSON. 

